Mandalay Region Agriculture Dept to cultivate 25,000 sugarcane acres

Mandalay Region Agriculture Department projected to cover 25,000 acres of sugarcane in four townships this winter, the department stated.
The pedigree sugarcane strains are to be distributed to the growers in four townships in PyinOoLwin District. It will be cultivated on 2,008 acres in Madaya Township, 7,500 in Singyu, 5,200 in Thabeikkyin and 10,400 in Tagaung in PyinOoLwin District, totalling 25,108 acres. The cultivation will commence in December, said Daw Khaing Mo Mo Zin, deputy head of Mandalay Region Agriculture Department.
“The growing season is from December to March. It is annual crop. Sugarcane likes regular moisture. It is mostly cultivated under the temperate climate. The government helps the growers to discuss with the sugar millers for contract farming and support agricultural loan. It is cash crop so the growers had better plant the sugarcane. Additionally, the price of sugar is on the upward trend, allowing the growers to earn a handsome profit,” she elaborated.
“The sugarcane cultivation contributes to self-sufficiency. In addition to the domestic market, the industry is trying to penetrate external market. The locally produced sugar is also competing with the imported products. The industry is trying to boost the packaging quality. The sugarcane has grasped a market share,” she added.
There are 18 types of sugarcane varieties. The local origins are CO-775, Yezin-1, VM C-74, 527 and Yezin-2, and other high-yielding 13 varieties are also seen. All of them are grown in the region. An acre costs approximately 1 to 1.1 million depending on the prices of fertilizer.— Min Htet Aung (Mandalay sub-printing house)/GNLM